Ebonics: A Language in Derision

Paper Summary:

This paper delves into the heart of the Ebonics debate through reference to Baugh's essay, "A Contentious Global Debut." It focuses on the national and global contention surrounding Ebonics by citing the historical, political and technological influences involved in the development of Standard American English. It looks at how black supporters of Ebonics generally feel that acknowledging Ebonics as a legitimate language or dialect will improve the learning productivity rate of African American students. It also examines how detractors of Ebonics do not feel that Ebonics is a legitimate language or dialect and have consistently attempted to thwart all efforts of legitimizing the language due to its supposed lack of "educational benefits".

From the Paper:

"Prior to the 1996 Oakland, California school board controversy, few people had ever heard the term Ebonics. Of those who were familiar with the term, very few knew the actual origin and definition of the word. "Many of the black supporters of Ebonics were aware of the term long before the Oakland school board introduced it into the global lexicon." In Baugh's "A Contentious Global Debut," he discusses the "interpretive diversity" surrounding the educational, political, and economic views on Ebonics when it first became a subject of national concern."

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